Some federal agencies to participate in telework event

Several federal agencies, including NASA and the General Services Administration, have pledged to participate in Telework Week later this month, according to the Telework Exchange.

Telework Week is a nationwide effort to encourage agencies, organizations, and individuals to pledge to telework during the week of Feb. 14. The goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of telework and to allow organizations to test their capabilities. As of today, 8,338 people and organizations had signed up for the telework effort , the organization’s website said.

Other government agencies that reportedly will be participating in the event include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agriculture Department, the Air Force, the Army and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"Telework Week provides an opportunity for managers and employees to pilot telework initiatives in their workplaces and ensure the efficacy of their IT infrastructure to handle telecommuting," Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) said in a statement. "It also provides a good opportunity for managers to test and update their business continuity plans to ensure readiness in the event of a natural or man made disaster.”

Icy weather conditions this week in the Washington area prompted the Office of Personnel Management to announce that federal employees had the option for unscheduled telework or unscheduled leave today. Federal employees also have the telework option on Feb. 2.

OPM Director John Berry – a proponent of teleworking – encouraged federal employees to discuss their work plans with managers in advance of expected bad weather.